Let me start this one by admitting to not knowing much of current events, I'm not well educated in politics and to be completely honest paying attention to either kinda hurts my brain.  I will acknowledge my ignorance right off the bat. With all the talk of Tariff on this, Tariff on that, I wonder if maybe it has bled into our tying world.

I am yet to notice or equate the trickle down from some of the things that are happening in the world around me, but one thing that I cannot help but notice is the rising cost of flies and tying materials.  I don’t buy many flies. But I do sell lots, and I do buy a lot of materials. This is not me bitching its just an observation.

About 7-8 years ago I started taking a more serious look into what my tying materials were costing.  I counted how many usable feathers were in a cleaned pound of marabou, How many hobo spey flies I could tie from each Lady Amherst tail feather, what my hooks, beads and other materials were costing.  I gotta say it took a little of the shine off commercial tying for me. I still enjoy commercial tying and it’s still something that I can do on my own time when I need some money. Commercial tying allowed me to still make it on a salty trip in some of the lean winters and I really enjoy people fishing my flies.

I really started to notice prices changing about 3 years ago.  American dollar swung, things really started to go up some.  Ordering things from the US in bulk wasn’t making as much sense anymore when looking at shipping, duties, taxes on it all as well. For example, the cost of a lady Amherst tail feather for the last few years was $20.00 retail.  I am able to purchase them a bit cheaper but likely not as cheap as what you think. From this feather I am able to tie approx 60 hobo spey steelhead tubes.  Based on a $20 Amherst tail feather, that's $0.33 per fly.  Each fly uses 7-9 strands, filaments, fibres whatever you like to call it.  THAT AMOUNTS TO. . . . . . . . . . . . .

PER FIBRE.  Not per fly. . . . . .. per fibre.   I have just found out that my source for lady Amherst feathers has “DOUBLED” The cost and the overall quality of these feathers has gone down some as well. So if it follows into the retail market that’ll be $0.66 just for the Amherst on the fly, never mind the cost of marabou, select guinea feather, dubbing, tube and junction tubing, oh yeah the $1.00 hooks that I use.  I bought those hooks by the thousands but that was last year.  I’m sure that the next time I buy them they will be more. 

I’ve never felt the need to justify the price I charge for my flies.  I’ve sold nearly every fly I’ve tied for that purpose in the last 20 years and honestly I don’t see it changing.  (I do have a bag of old wire worms with an “orange hotspot” that I thought was gonna be the next big thing at one time. If anyone wants to purchase these). A person only has so much time and therefore is only able to tie so many flies. I believed I have reached the height of my speed in commercial tying.  Other than a few organizational issues I suspect I am topped out for hand speed and accuracy.  It seems anymore that higher quality of the material is the only area when I can shave seconds off a fly ( better materials leads to less time fiddling with them). I don’t feel that the flies I tie are far superior to the ones that are tied overseas.  I do strive to use the best materials and hooks available, I do stand behind my work, and I like to think that my flies have some credibility as I’ve never been a slave to what I call “bin appeal”  or what looks good in the bin at a fly shop.  My flies are straight goods, function over fashion, all components have been looked over and not just used to add perceived value. I honestly think I sell more flies due to the fact people (both fly shops and individuals) want to support the lifestyle.  There aren’t many local commercial tiers left and hats off to the fly shops and folks who support them.

The days of $.99 and $1.99 flies are gone.  Yes, there are $10+ flies in drawers at local shops and I dare you to try to tie them for cheaper.  Even after you are astonished by materials cost, think about how long it took you to figure the fly out and actually tie them.  Think of what you make per hour at your job and then make a judgement on weather you think they are worth it or not.  Don’t stop tying flies or buying materials tho because of what they cost. On the same token, don’t feel cheated when you put out cash for flies from the bin.  The tying to buying conundrum still exists it's just that the cost of both have risen together.